Ä [9] Internet: REC.BACKCOUNTRY (1:352/111) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ REC.BACKCOUNTRY Ä Msg : 59 of 98 + 60 From : Richard A. De Castro 1:105/30 Mon 14 Feb 94 05:44 To : All Subj : Sea water filtering ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: decastro@netcom.com (Richard A. De Castro) georgt@geophys.washington.edu (George Thomas) writes: >> Is it possible to filter sea water with the hand pump water filter >systems? >The salts in sea water dissociate in water, that is something like >sodium-chloride splits apart into a sodium ion and chloride anion. >This is what makes salty water a good electrical conductor. >Anyway, the ions are smaller than water molecules, so there is >no way to filter out the salts. Thanks for playing, next contestant please It is possible to filter sea water and get potable water out of it. In fact, much of the water for the town of Avalon, on Catalina Island (26 miles across the sea from Los Angeles) gets it's water from this reverse osmosis filter process, as well as Santa Barbara (may not be on line); During the Gulf War, one of the main concerns of the destruction of the shipping terminals by the Iraquis was the oil getting into the Water Plants that provided much (all) of the water to the citizens in that part of the Gulf. The technology is widespread.. In fact, there are several small (including hand operated) filter/pump units for boats that do this, and work relatively well. They're not terribly cheap, and the pressures involved mean there not too easy to use, but they do exist, mainly for use in liferafts, etc. I believe that the pur water filters used by backpackers are made by the same company that makes one line of these, but ymmv. Good Luck! >Someone with knowledge of the oceans can tell us exactly what >types of salts are actually found in the oceans. >-- >George Thomas >georgt@geophys.washington.edu -- ========================================================================== decastro@netcom.com Warning: I am a trained professional. No, Really! Do Not try this yourself - it could get ugly.. Richard A. De Castro - California, North America, Sol-3 ========================================================================== --- PC-NNTP/486 1.1 * Origin: Cascade Echomail - Fidonet/Usenet gateway - Beaverton, OR (1:105/30) Ä [9] Internet: REC.BACKCOUNTRY (1:352/111) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ REC.BACKCOUNTRY Ä Msg : 60 of 98 - 59 + 61 From : heiden k. van der 1:105/30 Mon 14 Feb 94 10:25 To : All Subj : Sea water filtering ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: heiden@hp750.fgg.eur.nl (heiden k. van der) bmaccion@promus.com (Bob Maccione) writes: >Is it possible to filter sea water with the hand pump water filter systems? >I've seen ads that they can filter a mud puddle and am wondering if >it's possible to get drinkable water from the ocean using one? ( Of >course I take the ads with a grain of salt anyway ). The Polnesians, you know the folks who invented the catamaran, had a very special technique. When it rained, they dived in the ocean and sipped the sweet water which floats on top of the salt water, because it is less dense Of course you must not wait to long and you must take it with grain of salt. Kees --- PC-NNTP/486 1.1 * Origin: Cascade Echomail - Fidonet/Usenet gateway - Beaverton, OR (1:105/30) Ä [9] Internet: REC.BACKCOUNTRY (1:352/111) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ REC.BACKCOUNTRY Ä Msg : 61 of 98 - 60 From : Alan Malkiel 1:105/30 Mon 14 Feb 94 16:14 To : All Subj : Sea water filtering ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ From: exualan@exu.ericsson.se (Alan Malkiel) If you want first hand information about RO water makers, buy a boating magazine at your favorite newstand and read the ads. If you want second hand information, read on. My PUR catalog has the following information (from memory) - The smallest hand operated RO watermaker weighs about 2.2 pounds, makes about 16 ounces of fresh water in 30 minutes (of fairly hard pumping IMO), and costs about $500. The next larger unit makes 1.2 gallons per hour, costs $1500 and I don't recall the weight (8? 10? lbs). It also can be converted to 12v with a motor. Both units remove about 97% of the salt. The catalog also claims virus removal in the process. --- Alan Malkiel --- PC-NNTP/486 1.1 * Origin: Cascade Echomail - Fidonet/Usenet gateway - Beaverton, OR (1:105/30)